Packed Lunch Rice Balls

Introduction

We have a love affair with sandwiches that dates back centuries. The concept of sandwiching a delicious filling between two slabs of bread is endlessly versatile and, as such, is hard to beat. Well, I’m going to have a bloody good go at it! I’ve made this recipe using creamy mashed avocado, but fillings are only limited by your imagination. Leftovers from almost any of the recipes in this book will make your next lunchtime a treat.

Makes 4

Ingredients

2

avocados, stone removed, peeled

1

fresh red chilli, deseeded and finely diced

¼

of a red onion, peeled and finely diced

2 tsp

fish sauce

2 tsp

sesame oil

Juice of 1 lime

1 x portion

of sushi rice

3 tbsp

black sesame seeds white pepper

White pepper

Instructions

Lightly mash the avocado in a bowl with a fork. Mix in the chilli, onion, fish sauce, sesame oil and lime juice and season with a little pepper.

Line the inside of a mug with cling film. (It doesn’t have to be perfect, but the cling film should come out over the top of the mug.) Spoon almost a quarter of the rice into the bottom of the lined mug. Using your fingers, push the rice up the sides of the mug until it comes about halfway up, leaving a base of rice at the bottom. Spoon a quarter of the avocado mixture into the mug, then drop another small amount of rice on top to seal.

Gather up the cling film and pull it out of the mug with the rice-covered filling in the bottom. Gently squeeze the cling film around the rice to begin shaping it into a ball. Wet your hands with a little water, carefully remove the rice from the cling film and then press it together with your hands. Roll the ball in the black sesame seeds before repeating the process with the remaining rice and avocado mixture.

Wrap up a ball or two in cling film and pop into your lunch box. Keep refrigerated until ready to eat.